Mask structure



J. E. DUGGAN MASK STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 15, 1943 FIG.4.I

FIG.5.

INVENTOR.

JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNE'EED STATES FATENT QFFHCE MASK STRUCTURE James Edward Duggan, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application January 15, 1943, Serial No. 472,516

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices that are used during painting or plating operations to protect certain portions of articles from paint or plating material applied to adjacent portions thereof, and refers more particularly to masks for preventing painting or plating material from contacting or passing onto the inside and marginal external portions of internal gears when other portions such as centrally located external cup-shaped portions of such gears are painted or plated.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a mask capable of thoroughly protecting all portions of the gear except the cupshaped portion mentioned Without in any way interfering with the painting or plating operation of said cup-shaped portion.

Another object is to provide a mask that may be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the portions to be protected without marring or impairing any part of the gear.

Another object is to provide a mask that may be used repeatedly without being scrapped to protect different gears of the same type.

Another object is to provide a mask that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,-especially When considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an edge elevational view of a mask embodying my invention applied to an internal gear having an external cup-shaped portion in the center thereof to be plated or painted;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through one section of the mask and gear therein;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view through the other section of the mask;

Figure 4 is an inside plan view of the section illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an inside plan view of the section illustrated in Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing, A is an internal gear having a substantially flat body l0 provided upon one side thereof with a laterally projecting annular marginal flange ll having internal teeth l2 at the edges thereof, and provided upon the other side thereof with a centrally located laterally projecting annular flange l3, and B is a mask embodying my invention adapted to protect the inside and marginal external portions of the gear from paint or plating material applied to the laterally projecting annular flange I3 and the exterior portion M of the body bounded by said flange.

In the present instance all portions of the internal gear A except the laterally projecting flange I3 and the exterior portion l4 of the body are highly polished and finished, while the flange I3 and exterior portion [4 of the body have plating material such as copper plating or paint thereon. Thus, it is desirable to protect the finished surfaces of the gear while the flange l3 and exterior portion M of the body are plated or painted. This is accomplished by the mask B.

As shown, the mask B is preferably made of resilient material such as rubber or rubber composition and has two sections and 2|, respectively. The section 20 has a substantially flat annular body 22 provided with a laterally projecting annular marginal flange 23 having a circumferentially extending laterally projecting rib 24 of substantially V cross section upon the outer side thereof near its free edge, While the section 2| has a substantially flat plate-like body 25 provided with a laterally projecting annular marginal flange 26 having a circumferentially extending groove or. channel 21 of substantially V cross section in the inner side thereof near its free edge.

Preferably the dimensions of the section 2!} are such that the gear A may nest therein as illustrated in Figure 2, with the inner edges 28 of the body 22 snugly engaging the annular flange l3 at the base thereof, and the free edge 29 of the flange 23 substantially flush with the outer edges of the flange H and teeth l2 of the gear,

If the body iii of the gear should be provided in substantially concentric relation to the flange 3 with a laterally projecting annular pilot flange 30, then the body 22 of the section 2!] is provided in a thickened portion 3i thereof with an annular groove or recess 32 for receiving such flange. The usual holes 33 in the body [0 of the gear for receiving bolts or other attaching means (not shown) by which the gear may be secured to a suitable support are between the lateral flanges i3 and therefore, are covered by the body 22 of the section 29.

The inside diameter of the flange 26 of the section 21 is substantially equal to the outside diameter of the flange 25 of the section 2!! so that the gear receiving section 2!? may fit snugly within the section 2! as illustrated in Figure 1. When in this position the rib 2 on the flange 23 of the inner section 20 is received within the groove or channel 21 in the flange 2b of the outer section 2| so that such sections are interlocked as a housing for the gear A.

In order that the proper electric contact with the gear A may be obtained when it is within the housing formed by the cooperating sections 20 and 2|, the body 25 of the section 2| is provided at the center thereof through a circular enlargement 40 with a hole If for receiving a suitable plating fixture (not shown) to contact the gear A. Such fixture carries the electric current from the plating apparatus (not shown) to the gear during the plating operation.

In use, the section 20 of the mask is initially slipped upon the gear A as illustrated in Figure 2. The section 2| is then slipped upon the first mentioned section 20 as illustrated in Figure 1 to complete the housing for the gear. The plating fixture (not shown) is then inserted through the hole 4| in the section 2| into contact with the gear A so that the proper circuit may be established during the plating operation. As a result, all portions of the gear A except the cup-shaped portion 42 formed by the lateral flange l3 and exterior portion M of the body will be effectively protected from the plating material, or paint if paint instead of plating material is used.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a mask that may be easily and quickly applied to or removed from the gear without marring or impairing the finish thereof. The painting or plating operation may be accurately performed while the gear is in the housing formed by the sections 20 and 2| because only the cup-shaped portion 42 is exposed to be plated or painted. Moreover, the mask B may be used over and over again as aforesaid on different gears of the same type without being scrapped. As a result, a substantial saving in time, labor and material is effected.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Means for protecting the inside and all exterior portions of an internal cup-shaped gear except a rearwardly projecting substantially cupshaped portion on the back thereof from paint or plating material applied to said cup-shaped portion, comprising a sectional mask for enveloping all portions of the gear except said rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion, one section of said mask being an annular cup-shaped member for encircling said cup-shaped gear, the base of the cup-shaped section having a circular opening in the central portion thereof through which the rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion of the gear may extend, the annular side wall portion of the cup-shaped section bein provided with a laterally projecting circumferentially extending annular rib, the second section of said mask forming a closure for both the open part of the cup-shaped gear and said first mentioned section of the mask, said second section being disc-shaped and having an annular flange encircling said first mentioned section, said annular flange of the disc-shaped section being provided with a circumferentially extending annular groove for receiving the annular rib of the first section whereby said sections are detachably interlocked, said second section being provided with a hole through which a plating fixture may be inserted for electrical contact with said gear.

2. Means for protecting the inside and all exterior portions of an internal cup-shaped gear except a rearwardly projecting substantially cupshaped portion on the back thereof from paint or plating material applied to said cup-shaped portion, comprising a sectional mask for enveloping all portions of the gear except said rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion, one section of said mask being an annular cup-shaped member for encircling said cup-shaped gear, the base of the cup-shaped section having a circular opening in the central portion thereof through which the rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion of the gear may extend, the second section of said mask forming a closure for both the open part of the cup-shaped gear and said first mentioned section of the mask, said second section being discshaped and having an annular flange encircling the annular side wall portion of the cup-shaped section and detachably interlocked therewith, said second section being provided with a hole through which a plating fixture may be inserted for electrical contact with said gear.

3. Means for protecting all portions of an internal cup-shaped gear except a rearwardly projecting substantially cup-shaped exterior portion thereof from paint or plating material applied to said cup-shaped portion, comprising a sectional mask formed entirely of resilient material and operable to envelop all portions of the gear except said rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion, one section of said mask being an annular cup-shaped member for encircling said cupshaped gear, the base of the cup-shaped section having a circular opening in the central portion thereof through which the rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion of the gear may extend, the annular side wall portion of the cup-shaped sec tion being provided with a laterally projecting circumferentially extending annular rib, the second section of said mask forming a closure for both the open part of the cup-shaped gear and said first mentioned section of the mask, said second section being disc-shaped and having an annular flange encircling said first mentioned section, said annular flange of the disc-shaped section being provided with a circumferentially extending annular groove for receiving the annular rib of the first section whereby said sections are detachably interlocked, said disc-shaped section being provided at the center thereof with a hole through which a plating fixture may be inserted for electrical contact with said gear.

4. Means for protecting all portions of an internal cup-shaped gear except a rearwardly proecting substantially cup-shaped exterior portion thereof from paint or plating material applied to said cup-shaped portion, comprising a sectional mask formed entirely of resilient material and operable to envelop all portions of the gear except said' rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion, one section of said mask being an anrnular cup-shaped member for encircling said cup-shaped gear, the base of the cup-shaped section having a circular opening in the central portion thereof through which the rearwardly projecting cup-shaped portion of the gear may extend, the second section of said mask forming a closure for both the open part of the cupshaped gear and said first mentioned section of the mask, said econd section being disc-shaped and having an annular flange encircling the annular side wall portion of the cup-shaped section and detachably interlocked therewith, said discshaped section being provided at the center thereof with a hole through which a plating fixture may be inserted for electrical contact with said gear.

JAMES EDWARD DUGGAN. 

